Attache construction



L. LIFTON March 17, 1964 ATTAcHE' CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 25, 1960 FIG.

FIG. 2

INVEN TOR.

LfM/S L/F United States Patent 3,l25,197 ATTAQHE CONSTRUCTTQN LewisLitton, 151 W. 26th St, New York, N.Y. Filed Sept. 23, 1960, Ser. No.58,103 7 (Ilaims. (Cl. 190-37) The present invention relates to anattach case construction, and it particularly relates to an edgingconstruction thereof.

In construction of attach cases which are of rectangular shape hinged atone side and latched at the other side, the basic construction is ofwood.

Desirably, two wooden rectangular receptacles are formed withdovetailing connections of the wooden plaques at the corners androunding thereat, one section being relatively shallow to form a coverand the other being relatively deep to form a receptacle portion.

In covering the wooden sections with leather, it has been found that theedges tend to separate even when glued firmly in position, and theattach case tends very shortly to assume a worn and frayed appearance.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novelattach case in which the edges will be protected and prevent it fromfraying or becoming pulled apart from the wooden frame or baseconstruction.

Another object is to provide a novel attach construction having animproved facing attachment which will be more lasting and durable, moredecorative and less likely to separate and fray at the edge.

Another object is to provide an improved edge construction for attachcases in which metal edges are unnecessary and in which a smoothfinished edge is achieved without metal protection.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detaileddescription set forth below, it being understood, however, that thismore detailed description is given by way of illustration andexplanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changestherein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing fromthe scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactoryaccording to one embodiment of the present invention to provide aleather cover for each rectangular enclosure section having a base withintegral downturned or transversely turned side wall protected portions.

The slits which are then formed at the corners will extend along thesides of the receptacle members leaving the corners exposed.

These corners which usually consist of a dovetail connection of woodensection and which are rounded are protected by a flange beaded leatheror fabric member which has plies extending under the side edges or wallsections of the main cover and the bead of which will extend beyond andalong the edge and protect the edges of the main cover portion.

Desirably, the protective bead has a central reinforcement which mayconsist of a rod of metal or a length of textile material or plastic,and the rounded bead is desirably stitched at its base on the inside ofthe rod, or projection.

Stitching is also then inserted obliquely through both the cornermembers of the edge of the main cover element and the edges of thewooden corner construction.

Desirably, the outside stitching should extend midway through the cornerbetween the inner portion of the corner and the outer portion of thecorner at an angle of 45.

It should also extend through the. edges of the flanges of both thebeading and the outer covering substantially inside of the edges so asto give a firm support thereof.

3,125,197 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 "ice At the same time the edge faces ofthe cover should abut the inside face of the bead protecting them.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangements of parts ashereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention,but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modificationscan be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereuntoappended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an attach case according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken upon the line 22 of FIG. 1upon an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 1 showing the stitched cornerconstruction.

FIG. 3 is a separated fragmentary corner view showing the shape and formof the corner inserted before it is applied together with the coveringportion to the smooth edge of the attach case construction.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an attach case A having a shallowcover section B and a relatively deep receptacle section C.

The case is provided with hinging at the back portion along the edges Dnot shown in FIG. 1.

The top of the case has a swinging hinged handle E and the latches F.

The corner construction to which the present invention is particularlydirected is shown in section in FIG. 2, and the covering componentelements for forming the edges are shown in separated view in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, the main leather or fabric covering structure has abase It and depending side and top Wall portions 11 and 12 respectivelywhich may be cutout of a single sheet of leather.

One of these sections will cover the wall sides, top and bottom of thecover B, and another one will cover the wall, sides and top or bottom ofthe receptacle section C.

The edges 13 and 14 will be turned inwardly along the meeting edgeportions indicated at 15 and 16 of the attach case A and do not presentany great problem.

The edges 17 will be cut short so as to leave a space 18 whichterminates at the corner 19.

Inside of the cover structure as indicated at G in FIG. 2 will be thecorner bead structure H.

This bead structure H has the side flaps 20 and 21 and an edge bead 22with cross stitching 23.

The center of the bead may be made firm by a rod 24 which may consist ofthin metal, such as brass or fiber or even plastic.

The flaps 20 and 21 should extend substantially under the edge portions25 and 26 of the sides and end wall sections 11 and 12 of the coverstructure G.

The beading should project through the slot 18 and the edges 17 shouldabut the inside curved faces 27 of the heading 22.

The innermost corner structure is that of the wood frame indicated at Ihaving the end wall 28, the top wall 29 and the dovetail connections 30and 31 with the rounded corner 32.

These three members then are stitched together by a stitchingdiagrammatically indicated at 33 in the cover elements G, the bead edgeH and the wooden corner I.

This stitching as indicated at 33 in FIG. 3 should be midway between theinner corner as indicated at 34 and the outer rounded corner 32.

Desirably, the cover structure G is first glued to the outside face ofthe wooden frame structure leaving the edge portions 25 and 26unattached.

Then the flaps 21 and 22 inside of the portions 25 and 26 which are thenglued down upon the flaps 20 and 21.

Finally the stitching 23 is applied.

The final structure is shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2, it will be noted that the stitching extends through theportions 25 and 26, the flaps 2t) and 21, and through the wooden cornerI.

The edges 17 abut and face against the inside curved faces of thebeading 22 with the beading protecting those edges against being pulledaway from the flaps 21.

The stitching will go directly through the dovetailed connections 30-31of the corners of the attach case.

This structure will form a greatly improved edge structure with thebeading projecting through slot 18 in the cover G and with the edges 17being protected so that they will not be pulled away from the side orbottom Wall of the attach case.

This construction will be durable and attractive in appearance.

The attach case will not tend to assume the usually frayed structurewith the edges being pulled away from the supporting structure, and theedges will be fully protected.

As many changes could be made in the above attach case, and many widelydifferent embodiments of this invention could be made without departingfrom the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter containedin the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of theinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what isclaimed is:

1. An attach case edge construction comprising a wooden rectangular baseframe and an outer fabric cover, said cover having a rectangular basecover portion with transverse side flaps to cover the bottom, top andside walls of the case and with separated corner edges, and inside Woodframe structure having wall, top, bottom and side plaques formedtogether at the corner edges and an intervening bead element havingcorner side flaps to fit under the edges of the transverse side flapsand with'a corner bead to fit between and abut the separated corneredges and oblique stitching extending through the joined wood corneredges, the transverse side flaps and the corner side flaps, said corneredges of said wood frame having an outside rounded dovetail constructionand said stitching extending at an angle of 4-5 therethrough midwaybetween the outer and inner edges of each corner.

2. An attache case edge construction comprising a wooden rectangularbase frame and an outer fabric cover, said cover having a rectangularbase cover portion with transverse side flaps to cover the bottom, topand side walls of the case and with separated corner edges, and insideWood frame structure having wall, top, bottom and side plaques formedtogether at the corner edges and an intervening bead element havingcorner side flaps to fit under the edges of the transverse side flapsand with a corner bead to iit between and abut the separated corneredges and oblique stitching extending through the joined wood corneredges, the transverse side flaps and the corner side flaps, said beadingbeing formed by rounding the connection between said corner side flapsand inserting a filler rod and stitching the corner inside of saidfiller rod.

3. An attach case edge construction comprising a wooden rectangular baseframe and an outer fabric cover, said cover having a rectangular basecover portion with transverse side flaps to cover the bottom, top andside walls of the case and with separated corner edges, and inside woodframe structure having Wall, top, bottom and side plaques formedtogether at the corner edges and an intervening bead element havingcorner side flaps to fit under the edges of the transverse side flapsand with a corner bead to fit between and abut the separated corneredges and oblique stitching extending through the joined wood corneredges, the transverse side flaps and the corner side flaps, said edgesof the transverse side flaps abutting and contacting tangentially theinside curved faces of the beading so as to protect the same.

4. A corner construction for an attache case of the type having woodenside members at right angles to each other joined together by a cornerdovetail arrangement with the outer corner being rounded, said casehaving outside leather cover portions extending to and havingterminating straight edges at and extending along said corner, a beadstructure consisting of a stiff elongated cylindrical rod element and aleather covering, encircling and closely contacting said rod, and havingoutwardly extending short flanges at right angles to each other andintegral with the covering and being positioned under the straight edgesand the adjacent areas of the leather cover portions and paralleloblique stitchings located at 45 to the plane of the wooden sidemembers, the outside stitching extending directly inside of the rodelement and through the junction of the flanges and theencircling'leather and not through the dovetail arrangement, and theinside stitching extending through the flanges and also through thecover portions adjacent and parallel to but inside said edges and alsothrough the dovetail arrangement.

5. The corner construction of claim 4, the straight edges extending toand abutting the inside curved faces of the bead structure adjacent anddirectly at said inside stitching and covering said inside stitching.

6. A corner construction for an attache case of the type having woodenside members at right angles to each other joined together by a cornerattachment, said case having outside leather cover portions extending toand having terminating edges at and extending along said corner, a beadstructure consisting of a stiff elongated cylinder provided with aleather covering, and having outwardly extending short flanges at rightangles to each other and integral with the covering and being positionedunder the termination edges and the adjacent areas'of the leather coverportions and parallel oblique stitchings located obliquely to the planeof the wooden side members, the outside stitching extending directlyinside of 'the bead structure and through the flanges, and the insidestitching extending through-the flanges and also through the coverportions adjacent and parallel to but inside said edges and also throughthe attachment.

7. The corner construction of claim 6, the termination edges extendingto the inside curved faces of the bead structure and covering saidinside stitching.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,464,643 Burchess Aug. 14, 1923 2,232,835 Balin Feb. 25, 1941 2,471,612Freeman May 31, 1949 2,610,715 Plotkin Sept. 16, 1952 2,686,581 SmithAug. 17, 1954 2,781,143 Lifton Feb. 12, 1957 2,795,258 Berry et al. June11, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 382,130 Great Britain Oct. 20, 1932 793,142Great Britain Apr. 9, 1958

1. AN ATTACHE CASE EDGE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A WOODEN RECTANGULARBASE FRAME AND AN OUTER FABRIC COVER, SAID COVER HAVING A RECTANGULARBASE COVER PORTION WITH TRANSVERSE SIDE FLAPS TO COVER THE BOTTOM, TOPAND SIDE WALLS OF THE CASE AND WITH SEPARATED CORNER EDGES, AND INSIDEWOOD FRAME STRUCTURE HAVING WALL, TOP, BOTTOM AND SIDE PLAQUES FORMEDTOGETHER AT THE CORNER EDGES AND AN INTERVENING BEAD ELEMENT HAVINGCORNER SIDE FLAPS TO FIT UNDER THE EDGES OF THE TRANSVERSE SIDE FLAPSAND WITH A CORNER BEAD TO FIT BETWEEN AND ABUT THE SEPARATED CORNEREDGES AND OBLIQUE STITCHING EXTENDING THROUGH THE JOINED WOOD CORNEREDGES, THE TRANSVERSE SIDE FLAPS AND THE CORNER SIDE FLAPS, SAID CORNEREDGES OF SAID WOOD FRAME HAVING AN OUTSIDE ROUNDED DOVETAIL CONSTRUCTIONAND SAID STITCHING EXTENDING AT AN ANGLE OF 45* THERETHROUGH MIDWAYBETWEEN THE OUTER AND INNER EDGES OF EACH CORNER.